A New England Adventure Through the Eyes of a Seal

Follow Seal #087 on his post-rehabilitation journey!

Welcome!

Come learn about Harbor Seal #087's expedition around the Gulf of Maine, and beyond! Seal #087 was rescued off of Jenness Beach in Rye, New Hampshire during winter of 2020. He was rehabilitated and released back into the Atlantic in February 2021. This young male harbor seal's post-rehabilitation journey is documented in the maps below, thanks to satellite-tagging technology. To navigate this resource, simply scroll up and down. If you would like to jump to a different part of the resource or revisit a section, click on the section title in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.

Video Introduction

Watch the video below to learn about marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and research!

A Harbor Seal's Journey: Rescue, Release, and Beyond! Featuring our rehabilitation partners at Marine Mammals of Maine, and Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

Map Instructions

Each map shows two weeks' worth of Seal #087's location data in chronological order, beginning on February 10th and ending on June 9th. Scroll through each map to see where and how Seal #087 moved around New England.

Large Symbols (broad area)

The larger symbols represent an area Seal #087 visited multiple times. Tap any large symbol to view how many times Seal #087 visited that particular location. For more details, click on the "Browse Features" button in the pop-up window after tapping any large symbol.

Small Symbols (exact locations)

The smaller symbols depict exact locations Seal #087 visited. To explore the details of Seal #087's journey, simply zoom in over any large symbol and tap on the smaller symbols that appear.

Fast Facts

  • Farthest south traveled in one week: 117 miles (Portland, Maine to Cape Cod, Massachusetts)
  • Total range covered: 250 miles (Portland, Maine to an area south of Nantucket)
  • Farthest offshore traveled: 75 miles south of Nantucket

Try to find the maps where Seal #087 reached these milestones!

Week #1: February 10 - 24, 2021

Harbor Seal #087 starts his adventure by heading directly south, with no looking back! He swims past Southern Maine and around the Isles of Shoals, before coming nearshore at Hampton Harbor! But he doesn't stop there, #087 continues on his way past Cape Ann, Boston, Cape Cod, and even Nantucket!

Does Seal #087 swim by your town?

Week 2: February 25 - March 10, 2021

After swimming for over 200 miles, Seal #087 finally decides to hang out in one place - off the south coast of Nantucket.

Why do you think he likes this area so much?

Week 3: March 11 - 24, 2021

Seal #087 seems to be really enjoying the Nantucket Shoals, however he keeps moving back and forth between the island and the open ocean.

Do you think he likes to be closer or further from land? Why do you think he comes back towards land?

Week 4: March 25 - April 7, 2021

After exploring Nantucket, Seal #087 is enjoying a true "Cape Cod and the Islands" vacation as he moves back and forth between the Cape and Nantucket.

Can you find the beaches Seal #087 visited?

Week 5: April 8 - 21, 2021

Seal #087 is continuing to enjoy his time around Cape Cod and Nantucket. However, he isn't moving back and forth as much anymore. In fact, he only swam from Nantucket to Cape Cod once in this two week time period.

Can you figure out which day he decided to make this trip?

Week 6: April 22 - May 5, 2021

It seems like Seal #087 found a new stomping ground on Cape Cod! In fact, the area he stays in most of the time is less than 50 square miles in total. He prefers Hyannis Harbor and Great Island in Yarmouth.

Why do you think Seal #087 stayed in such a close range?

Week 7: May 6 - 19, 2021

It appears Seal #087 has taken a liking to Cape Cod, he has spent over a month in the same spot! In fact, the Week 6 and Week 7 maps almost look exactly the same. Do think he'll stay here throughout the summer?

Week 8: May 20 - June 2, 2021

After spending almost three months around Nantucket and Cape Cod, Seal #087 decides that it's time for a change and boogies back north to Maine. However, he continues past Portland and keeps swimming even further north towards Rockland, Maine.

Why do think Seal #087 decided to come back to Maine?

Week 9: June 3 - 9, 2021

Seal #087 finds solitude around Maine's remote coastline, before his satellite tag finally stops responding after 4 full months at sea! These satellite tags aren't designed to last forever, but they help us understand more about what habitats harbor seals use, how far they travel, and much more!

Can you find the last location that Seal #087 was in, before his satellite tracker stopped pinging?

Thanks for swimming along!

We hope you enjoyed learning about Seal #087's journey. For more information on seals in New England, click on the webinar below!

The Secret Life Of Seals - Monitoring New England's Complex Coastal Inhabitants

Seacoast Science Center

570 Ocean Boulevard, Rye, NH 03870

Phone: 603 436 8043 | Email: info@sscnh.org

The rehabilitation and satellite tagging of harbor seal #087 were accomplished in partnership with Marine Mammals of Maine, and Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. It's important to note the power of partnerships in the field of marine mammal rescue. Our network of organizations along the US coastline work together to share data, effectively respond to marine mammals, and work in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

A big thanks to our Marine Mammal Rescue Data Management Intern Taylor Leitch for her hard work in designing this resource.

The Seacoast Science Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing educational experiences at Odiorne Point State Park on behalf of New Hampshire State Parks.